Published: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 3:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 3:28 p.m.

Officers with the Lexington and Thomasville police departments are adding a teal ribbon to their uniforms this month. Their hope is to raise awareness of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

Facts

Want to help?

Family Services of Davidson County encourages victims of sexual assaults to contact the agency's 24-hour crisis line at 243-1934. The Second Annual 'Davidson Doozie,' the nonprofit's signature fundraising event, also will be May 11. For more information, contact Family Services at 249-0237.

"The goal for Sexual Assault Awareness Month is to encourage people to … become informed about issues of sexual violence and sexual assault," said Catherine Johnson, crisis intervention director for Family Services of Davidson County.

According to data provided by Family Services, one in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and every two minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. The Davidson County Sheriff's Office investigated nine rapes in 2011 and five in 2012, the Thomasville Police Department had three rapes in 2011 and two in 2012, and the Lexington Police Department investigated six rapes each in 2011 and 2012, according to statistics provided by the three agencies.

The TPD and LPD, staff at the Davidson County Courthouse and employees of Thomasville Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center are wearing the teal ribbons in April, Johnson said. The crisis intervention director stressed the importance of the community acknowledging sexual assaults do happen and helping become part of the resolution to prevent them from occurring.

"Family Services has been around for 16 years providing support to these families (the families of victims of sexual assaults)," Johnson said. "We recognize that it's a private issue, and it stays within four walls."

TPD Det. Jaime Foley acknowledged survivors of rape may have a hard time deciding whether to report their sexual assault to police. She said rape prevention and counseling experts strongly advise victims to report the rape to the authorities so that their assailants can be brought to justice.

"While there is no way to undue the rape, reporting it to the police will help to stop the perpetrator from harming other victims in the future," Foley said. "Additionally, rape victims can feel a sense of closure when the rapist is brought to justice and convicted accordingly."

Once a person becomes a victim of a sexual assault, they must go to a safe location away from the perpetrator, Foley explained.

"Reporting it immediately ensures all available evidence is collected, and a stronger case can be built against the perpetrator and hopefully preventing him or her from committing another attack," she said.

Capt. Robby Rummage of the LPD said he hates to think of the amounts of sexual assaults that go unreported because it can be a crime of embarrassment. He said sometimes the crimes involve family members, extended family members and children.

"It's a very serious offense," Rummage said of sexual assaults. "We partner with Family Services of Davidson County because we realize we have a victim of a crime that we need to interview and investigate for. We also know that there are a lot of things, counseling and other resources, that they need that we can't provide."

Rummage said law enforcement wants to see the perpetrators prosecuted.

"We work with the district attorney in making sure we have the strongest cases we can," he said.

Rummage reminds residents to talk with their children about sexuality, what is appropriate and what is not appropriate.

"Make sure you listen to kids when they are talking about things that do not seem right," the captain said.

The timeliness of reporting sexual assaults is key, Rummage said. However, he explained the Lexington Police Department has solved sexual assault cases that occurred years before they were reported.

"It makes it challenging, but it does not make it impossible," Rummage said.

Davidson County Sheriff David Grice reminds parents to be careful with their daughters and the age of the men they date.

"Ask questions about who they are going out with," the sheriff said.

Residents who meet people over the Internet should have their first interaction face to face in public, Grice said. The sheriff encourages them to bring somebody with them to the first meeting. Lt. Kevin Johnson of the DCSO and Grice also encourage parents to monitor the activity of their children on the Internet.

"We statistically have claimed that rape is one of the most underreported crimes because people are afraid of the process of facing their accuser in court, and the process of going through the physical exam and then the shame that some people fear that the community will think they contributed to the assault," Grice said.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.

<p>Officers with the Lexington and Thomasville police departments are adding a teal ribbon to their uniforms this month. Their hope is to raise awareness of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.</p><p>"The goal for Sexual Assault Awareness Month is to encourage people to … become informed about issues of sexual violence and sexual assault," said Catherine Johnson, crisis intervention director for Family Services of Davidson County.</p><p>According to data provided by Family Services, one in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, and every two minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. The Davidson County Sheriff's Office investigated nine rapes in 2011 and five in 2012, the Thomasville Police Department had three rapes in 2011 and two in 2012, and the Lexington Police Department investigated six rapes each in 2011 and 2012, according to statistics provided by the three agencies.</p><p>The TPD and LPD, staff at the Davidson County Courthouse and employees of Thomasville Medical Center and Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center are wearing the teal ribbons in April, Johnson said. The crisis intervention director stressed the importance of the community acknowledging sexual assaults do happen and helping become part of the resolution to prevent them from occurring.</p><p>"Family Services has been around for 16 years providing support to these families (the families of victims of sexual assaults)," Johnson said. "We recognize that it's a private issue, and it stays within four walls."</p><p>TPD Det. Jaime Foley acknowledged survivors of rape may have a hard time deciding whether to report their sexual assault to police. She said rape prevention and counseling experts strongly advise victims to report the rape to the authorities so that their assailants can be brought to justice. </p><p>"While there is no way to undue the rape, reporting it to the police will help to stop the perpetrator from harming other victims in the future," Foley said. "Additionally, rape victims can feel a sense of closure when the rapist is brought to justice and convicted accordingly."</p><p>Once a person becomes a victim of a sexual assault, they must go to a safe location away from the perpetrator, Foley explained.</p><p>"Reporting it immediately ensures all available evidence is collected, and a stronger case can be built against the perpetrator and hopefully preventing him or her from committing another attack," she said.</p><p>Capt. Robby Rummage of the LPD said he hates to think of the amounts of sexual assaults that go unreported because it can be a crime of embarrassment. He said sometimes the crimes involve family members, extended family members and children.</p><p>"It's a very serious offense," Rummage said of sexual assaults. "We partner with Family Services of Davidson County because we realize we have a victim of a crime that we need to interview and investigate for. We also know that there are a lot of things, counseling and other resources, that they need that we can't provide."</p><p>Rummage said law enforcement wants to see the perpetrators prosecuted.</p><p>"We work with the district attorney in making sure we have the strongest cases we can," he said.</p><p>Rummage reminds residents to talk with their children about sexuality, what is appropriate and what is not appropriate.</p><p>"Make sure you listen to kids when they are talking about things that do not seem right," the captain said.</p><p>The timeliness of reporting sexual assaults is key, Rummage said. However, he explained the Lexington Police Department has solved sexual assault cases that occurred years before they were reported.</p><p>"It makes it challenging, but it does not make it impossible," Rummage said.</p><p>Davidson County Sheriff David Grice reminds parents to be careful with their daughters and the age of the men they date.</p><p>"Ask questions about who they are going out with," the sheriff said.</p><p>Residents who meet people over the Internet should have their first interaction face to face in public, Grice said. The sheriff encourages them to bring somebody with them to the first meeting. Lt. Kevin Johnson of the DCSO and Grice also encourage parents to monitor the activity of their children on the Internet.</p><p>"We statistically have claimed that rape is one of the most underreported crimes because people are afraid of the process of facing their accuser in court, and the process of going through the physical exam and then the shame that some people fear that the community will think they contributed to the assault," Grice said.</p><p>Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.</p>